MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 (edited) So i want to sell my 325i and get a nice 2dr for around the same price, I don't mind higher mileages as long as service history is good. I want a 320 ideally thinking it might be slightly cheaper to run, tax and insure than my 325. I'm not interested in 4 cylinders and diesels will be way beyond my budget. I would like facelift, and M-sport would be nice but tbh i'm fed up with the horrible ride so would be tempted to get smaller wheels and SE spec. Anyone seen / picked up any bargains recently? Edited February 26, 2013 by MrWhite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 A 320 isn't any cheaper to run than your 325. In fact you're better off with a 330 which is practically the same running cost too. I don't think there's any suspension difference between sport and se on the coupé but I might be mistaken, and it might just be the convertibles that all have the sport suspension. If you get smaller wheels and SE spec and hang around on this forum you're going to end up spending money on bigger wheels and a sport kit so don't bother Jay. and RickyZ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay. Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 as above , theres no difference in suspension height. and as above you'll be better off getting a 330 because theres no difference in every day running costs of a 320/325/330. i went for a 325ci purley on the fact that any 330's around 3k seem to be dogs. you'll be lucky to get a facelift at all for 2.5k let alone a good one! you should be looking at a 325ci sport with around 110k on for that price, probably a y,51,02 plate. RickyZ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 In June last year I bought mine, 2002 320 SE coupe auto with 58k and very tidy for £2.5k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Tax and insurance must be cheaper though for obvious reasons.... I love the look of m-sport, but just want something comfortable for once! I'd be happy with 16 inch wheels. And no, i wouldn't bother modifying it, I went through the modding phase in my late teens and early twenties and i'm old and sensible enough now to realise that all modding is utterly pointless and foolish,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay. Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 In June last year I bought mine, 2002 320 SE coupe auto with 58k and very tidy for £2.5k. Think you got a bargain there trev - its pristine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 In June last year I bought mine, 2002 320 SE coupe auto with 58k and very tidy for £2.5k. Yeah i want a manual, auto's do seem a lot cheaper though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay. Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Tax and insurance must be cheaper though for obvious reasons.... How is it obvious that the tax is different? They are all in one particular band, which makes them aroudn £121 for 6 months And the insurance, i've never noticed a drop between a 330 & 325's (even being 24 and having 13 previous e46's - a lot of them 318ci's none have been an amount i'd consider rediculously different to the other) mit and RickyZ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Just been watching this on ebay. 2003 facelift 320 m-sport went for 2100! Must be something else wrong with it. That's obscenely cheap. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-320-ci-sport-coupe-/300866159229?autorefresh=true&nma=true&si=BxUfHyxbNIVselNJ5ncTgcG0fMg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Why would tax be cheaper? They are in the same band. The 330 is in the higher band though. If you get a pre-2001 car with no emissions figures you'll be in the default tax band which is cheaper than a 325 or 330 post 2001. Jay. and RickyZ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 (edited) How is it obvious that the tax is different? They are all in one particular band, which makes them aroudn £121 for 6 months And the insurance, i've never noticed a drop between a 330 & 325's (even being 24 and having 13 previous e46's - a lot of them 318ci's none have been an amount i'd consider rediculously different to the other) Are they - fair enough. Well my tax is £148 so you're mistaken there... I thought the 330 would be in a higher insurance group because of it's extra 60 bhp - i think the 325 is 16? Edited February 26, 2013 by MrWhite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike- Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 I didn't really want to buy my 330, I was happy (kinda) in my E30 but I thought if I could spot one on my daily Autotrader and PH trawl for 2.5k I'd be snapping it up. Sadly, this isn't the case. The cheapest 330ci Sport I saw was £2,750 and it was silver and on 170k. In the end I paid nearer 3k and it wasn't taxed for an Imola 330ci Sport on 120k, but with a nice length MOT and it was pretty tidy. I think you'll struggle at 2.5k, but if you're willing to go auto and have a car on Enterprise miles with a few niggles you might be able to get there. If I've learnt anything from my bi-annual car change, it's to pay at least market value or above and get a tidy version of the lesser car, not a ropey version of the car you want. In this instance, look at E36 328s mit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay. Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Are they - fair enough. Well my tax is £148 so you're mistaken there... I thought the 330 would be in a higher insurance group because of it's extra 50 bhp - i think the 325 is 16? I said 'around 121' that is what it is on the cars pre-emissions testing. Yeh its in a higher insurance group, but again, i said in 'day to day' running costs, you wont notice any difference. Even me, at age 24, i'm only paying around £800 a year on a 325ci sport, my dad pays around 200 a year on his coupe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 I said 'around 121' that is what it is on the cars pre-emissions testing. Yeh its in a higher insurance group, but again, i said in 'day to day' running costs, you wont notice any difference. Even me, at age 24, i'm only paying around £800 a year on a 325ci sport, my dad pays around 200 a year on his coupe. That's quite high, i'm 28 and paying around 550, but when i bought the car i was 24 and payed around 650 i think, certainly no higher than 700. I guess area etc makes a difference. I remember my insurance came down by £100 just because i moved to a different area of the city! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay. Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 yes, but when you were 24, 4 years ago - insurance hadn't sky rocketed like it has now, so in the grand scheme of things its still pretty reasonable IMO. RickyZ and mit 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 True i have noticed my premiums are not coming down year on year as they used to. This looks tidy, and has leather, although I would like a facelift, i'd be happy with a 03 facelift SE with higher mileage for around this price. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201212044509609/sort/default/usedcars/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l/transmission/manual/fuel-type/petrol/price-from/2000/price-to/3000/body-type/coupe/model/3_series/make/bmw/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/100/postcode/ba24qn/page/2?logcode=p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay. Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 not keen on that at all, its a s**t colour with basic leather & the smallest of the engines. I'll get my search on for you tonight. Do you mind it being high milage? Or want something less than 100k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 I didn't really want to buy my 330, I was happy (kinda) in my E30 but I thought if I could spot one on my daily Autotrader and PH trawl for 2.5k I'd be snapping it up. Sadly, this isn't the case. The cheapest 330ci Sport I saw was £2,750 and it was silver and on 170k. In the end I paid nearer 3k and it wasn't taxed for an Imola 330ci Sport on 120k, but with a nice length MOT and it was pretty tidy. I think you'll struggle at 2.5k, but if you're willing to go auto and have a car on Enterprise miles with a few niggles you might be able to get there. If I've learnt anything from my bi-annual car change, it's to pay at least market value or above and get a tidy version of the lesser car, not a ropey version of the car you want. In this instance, look at E36 328s I didn't really want to buy my 330, I was happy (kinda) in my E30 but I thought if I could spot one on my daily Autotrader and PH trawl for 2.5k I'd be snapping it up. Sadly, this isn't the case. The cheapest 330ci Sport I saw was £2,750 and it was silver and on 170k. In the end I paid nearer 3k and it wasn't taxed for an Imola 330ci Sport on 120k, but with a nice length MOT and it was pretty tidy. I think you'll struggle at 2.5k, but if you're willing to go auto and have a car on Enterprise miles with a few niggles you might be able to get there. If I've learnt anything from my bi-annual car change, it's to pay at least market value or above and get a tidy version of the lesser car, not a ropey version of the car you want. In this instance, look at E36 328s Not necessarily looking for a 330, although i'd like that extra power. E36 is too much of a downgrade from my E46, although i'd be very tempted by a really tidy unmolested one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 (edited) not keen on that at all, its a s**t colour with basic leather & the smallest of the engines. I'll get my search on for you tonight. Do you mind it being high milage? Or want something less than 100k No i dont like that colour either. What are the SE seats like? They look less supportive than the Sport spec ones. Dont mind high mileages at all, as long as service history good (although you dont really know that until you see it) Edited February 26, 2013 by MrWhite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mit Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 The fact that the dealer has this car for £2.5k means you could pick up a similar one at auction for a lot less, or a better one for the same money. Jay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay. Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 They are exactly as they look, unsupportive lol. I bought my old 325ci in September last year Silver/Black leather MV1's Genuine sport model manual 110,000 miles FSH 3 owners Paid £2500 on the nail. Was a cracking car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201302125302406/sort/default/usedcars/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l/transmission/manual/fuel-type/petrol/price-from/2000/price-to/3000/body-type/coupe/model/3_series/make/bmw/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/100/postcode/ba24qn/page/4?logcode=p Looks good but it does set alarm bells ringing when they cant spell. Shabaza 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWhite Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 By the way, when were the subframe problems in these? Were they pre- 2001 cars? Would it therefore be wise to avoid anything older than 51 plate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay. Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 The subframe problem affects any e46 but is more common on cars built pre jun 2001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
